It’s Go Time! … Rangers at Penguins

Well, the NHL’s Olympic-break roster freeze came and went, so Ryan Callahan will be a Ranger when he returns from Sochi. Then Glen Sather will have about nine days to trade him (March 5 trade deadline), sign him, or risk losing him for nothing July 1.

Sather will also try to tie up Dan Girardi and probably Anton Stralman before the deadline.

The Rangers lost a four-game winning streak Thursday, a late 2-1 loss to Edmonton at MSG. They are 1-1-1 vs. the Penguins this season (tonight being the final meeting), and the Penguins have won six of eight meetings over the last two seasons, though the Rangers got losers’ points in two of those games.

TheRangers have won five in a row on the road, since being whupped in Pittsburgh Jan. 3, and 15 of their last 19 on the road.

The Penguins have won four of five, including Wednesday’s game in Buffalo where it appeared Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were looking to make a statement against USA goalie Ryan Miller. If so, message received.

In case you missed the big news today, Pittsburgh D-man Kris Letang is out a minimum of six weeks after suffering a stroke last week.

Lundqvist starts in goal against Marc-Andre Fleury.

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Don’t forget to vote for the Three Rangers Stars in the poll on the left.

Step has no business in Sochi, unfortunately, he is consistently…no, not very bad,just slow nothingness.
Slow in skating, thinking, making decisions, execution.
Too sad, I like this early balding American kid with British smile, but as I said many times – being nice guy is not a profession in a hockey world.

What’s the point of all these guys going to the Olympics when they miss Opening Ceremonies and just fly over there, practice a couple days, are told to not go anywhere but the rink and “hotel,” “Don’dt bring any family,” and “Don’t look American if you do leave your hotel?” All the hoopla and glamor and excitement are gone for the players. May as well skate around at the Hommocks in Mamaroneck.